Donald Trump and the aftermath of his presidency

[AlterEgo]

The USA economy is actually booming and the Dow Jones is at record levels, so he must be doing something right.

The US economy can boom all it wants. Walk around some bad areas of the US and tell me vast swathes of it aren’t as Trump would say, “a ****hole”.

Botswana has a booming economy too but that doesn’t stop most of the population from living in poverty.

 

[najaB]

Walk around some bad areas of the US and tell me vast swathes of it aren’t as Trump would say, “a ****hole”.

Or, as he put it in his inaugural address:

But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Guy from Breitbart was on Sky News last night saying that Sadiq Khan is turning London into a ****hole - seems like it was an attempt to fire people up for today's intervention and calls for the Mayor's arrest at the Fabian Society.

I totally despise trump, but you all have to remember a lot of his early morning tweets are a distraction from the real issues. He likes to use the dead cat strategy quite a lot, as do his followers.

 

[najaB]

I totally despise trump, but you all have to remember a lot of his early morning tweets are a distraction from the real issues

This is a true thing. However the sh***** comment wasn't a Tweet (early morning or otherwise).

 

[F Great Eastern]

This is a true thing. However the sh***** comment wasn't a Tweet (early morning or otherwise).

Of course - I was just speaking in general.

It's a very offensive comment but I don't think many people are surprised by it - I thought he would hold such views anyway so it's merely confirming what I already heard. He believes that he can say anything he wants.

 

[bramling]

Guy from Breitbart was on Sky News last night saying that Sadiq Khan is turning London into a ****hole - seems like it was an attempt to fire people up for today's intervention and calls for the Mayor's arrest at the Fabian Society.

I totally despise trump, but you all have to remember a lot of his early morning tweets are a distraction from the real issues. He likes to use the dead cat strategy quite a lot, as do his followers.

I saw the Sky news interview - the trading of insults really hit home how low the whole political climate has now sunk. I wish Sadiq Khan would concentrate more on more salient London issues.

 

[F Great Eastern]

I saw the Sky news interview - the trading of insults really hit home how low the whole political climate has now sunk. I wish Sadiq Khan would concentrate more on more salient London issues.

The right wing figures on TV are really starting to annoy me because if they are being interviewed they constantly will not talk about the things they are being asked about and simply keep bringing off-topic points and rants about Hillary Clinton, Barrack Obama, Sadiq Khan and other topics into the discussion to avoid answering the questions that they have been asked with anything other than rhetoric.

 

[trash80]

Its up to journalists to challenge them then isn't it? Same as they should challenge the likes of Farage and his blatant hypocrisy. Though lets not hold our breaths, we'll all suffocate...

 

[F Great Eastern]

When they do challenge them they go off in a tangent about something else and then start turning the tables on the interviewer and start asking them questions about a different topic.

 

[bramling]

The right wing figures on TV are really starting to annoy me because if they are being interviewed they constantly will not talk about the things they are being asked about and simply keep bringing off-topic points and rants about Hillary Clinton, Barrack Obama, Sadiq Khan and other topics into the discussion to avoid answering the questions that they have been asked with anything other than rhetoric.

I agree with this, with a qualification. As I see it, whilst I'm sure there are many people in London who dislike Trump and/or his views, is it really that much of a salient issue? In my view Sadiq Khan has overpoliticised the issue by constantly opening his mouth about it. Unfortunately, to me it doesn't come over as entirely unreasonable to suggest that perhaps this is a welcome distraction from issues closer to home - of which there are undoubtedly very many. Like it or not (and I don't), I find it hard to counter some of the points Kassam was making.

Personally, I'd have thought it better for Trump to come to London and there be mass demonstrations, if that's how people feel. It might not have done UK/US relations much good though.

 

[Groningen]

To give all the credit to Donald Trump for the so called rise of the economy can not be proven. There will be a taxbreak for the rich and a tax burden for the poor to fill the gap.

Tweet from Boris Johnson about Donald Trump not coming to London: The US is the biggest single investor in the UK - yet Khan & Corbyn seem determined to put this crucial relationship at risk. We will not allow US-UK relations to be endangered by some puffed up pompous popinjay in City Hall.

And how about the UK - Europe relations? Not more or even less important?

 

[ilkestonian]

I agree with Trump. The afore mentioned countries are all ****holes with high levels of crime and poor living standards. I would not be taking my holidays there.

Surely you are missing the point.

IMHO the issue is not so much whether such and such a country is or is not a ****hole.

It's more that as the supposed leader of the free world, the Child er I mean President Trump should be setting an example for others to follow, not acting like the local street corner skinhead.

 

[bramling]

To give all the credit to Donald Trump for the so called rise of the economy can not be proven. There will be a taxbreak for the rich and a tax burden for the poor to fill the gap.

Tweet from Boris Johnson about Donald Trump not coming to London: The US is the biggest single investor in the UK - yet Khan & Corbyn seem determined to put this crucial relationship at risk. We will not allow US-UK relations to be endangered by some puffed up pompous popinjay in City Hall.

And how about the UK - Europe relations? Not more or even less important?

Khan’s behaviour does seem to be about ideology over pragmatism. This is one of the reasons many are wary of voting for Corbyn. Unbending ideology rarely leads to good policy. At least Theresa May has handled this issue reasonably well by keeping a dignified distance and avoiding getting too sucked into it.

 

[bramling]

Surely you are missing the point.

IMHO the issue is not so much whether such and such a country is or is not a ****hole.

It's more that as the supposed leader of the free world, the Child er I mean President Trump should be setting an example for others to follow, not acting like the local street corner skinhead.

It doesn’t help that there’s this climate of allegations of fake news, so no one quite knows the boundary between what he did say and what he didn’t.

 

[najaB]

It doesn’t help that there’s this climate of allegations of fake news, so no one quite knows the boundary between what he did say and what he didn’t.

Two senators who were in the meeting (Dick Durbin-D and Lindsey Graham-R) have confirmed that the reporting is correct. Two others (both R) have said that they can't remember what was said. Nobody who was in the meeting (other than Trump) has denied that he said it, neither has there been an official denial by the White House.

 

[Jonny]

The economy has grown in every quarter since Q3 2014. Trump inherited a growing economy and his 'something right' has largely consisted of staying out of the way.

I would suggest that staying out of the way is a good strategy generally for governments and politicians.

 

[EM2]

Tweet from Boris Johnson about Donald Trump not coming to London: The US is the biggest single investor in the UK - yet Khan & Corbyn seem determined to put this crucial relationship at risk. We will not allow US-UK relations to be endangered by some puffed up pompous popinjay in City Hall.

Khan’s behaviour does seem to be about ideology over pragmatism. This is one of the reasons many are wary of voting for Corbyn. Unbending ideology rarely leads to good policy. At least Theresa May has handled this issue reasonably well by keeping a dignified distance and avoiding getting too sucked into it.

And yet it wasn't so long ago that Boris Johnson said:

"When Donald Trump says there are parts of London that are ‘no go’ areas, I think he’s betraying a quite stupefying ignorance that makes him frankly unfit to hold the office of President of the United States.

“I would invite him to come and see the whole of London and take him round the city - except I wouldn’t want to expose any Londoners to any unnecessary risk of meeting Donald Trump."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12/09/boris-johnson-slams-donal_n_8758292.html

 

[trash80]

Shush don't bring facts into it, thats very unpatriotic!

 

[TheNewNo2]

And now the US government has shut down. Happy one year Trumpiversary y'all!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

And now the US government has shut down. Happy one year Trumpiversary y'all!

The way the U.S. Government works (or doesn't) is absolutely insane. The idea that government can just shut down in this way; the verbal gymnastics of concepts like so called "right to work" aka anti-union legislation... these things sound like they've been lifted from a story co-written by George Orwell and Jorge-Luis Borges.

The leaders of the free world, ladies and gentlemen!

 

[furnessvale]

And now the US government has shut down. Happy one year Trumpiversary y'all!

Last closed down less than five years ago so hardly something new.

 

[Domh245]

It is however the first time that there has been a shutdown when a single party has been in charge of the executive, the house of representatives, and the senate.

 

[najaB]

It is however the first time that there has been a shutdown when a single party has been in charge of the executive, the house of representatives, and the senate.

That is an important difference, though it's worth pointing out that while the GOP has a majority in the Senate they don't have 60 seats so would need support from the Democrats regardless. That said, five Republicans voted against the bill (including Mitch McConnell!) so even if they did have 60 seats it still wouldn't have passed.

 

[TheNewNo2]

That is an important difference, though it's worth pointing out that while the GOP has a majority in the Senate they don't have 60 seats so would need support from the Democrats regardless. That said, five Republicans voted against the bill (including Mitch McConnell!) so even if they did have 60 seats it still wouldn't have passed.

McConnell is majority leader, if he votes against it it means it can be brought back more easily than if he'd voted for it and it had failed.

 

[Busaholic]

The way the U.S. Government works (or doesn't) is absolutely insane. The idea that government can just shut down in this way; the verbal gymnastics of concepts like so called "right to work" aka anti-union legislation... these things sound like they've been lifted from a story co-written by George Orwell and Jorge-Luis Borges.

The leaders of the free world, ladies and gentlemen!

Jack Nicholson 'Cuckoo's Nest' stuff, isn't it, and one that should be thrown back at anyone who likes to drone on about the superiority of the American Constitution (superior to what exactly, the accord between Theresa May and the DUP?). Checks and balances are nowhere near disposing of the Chief Lunatic before he inflicts vast, lasting harm not only on the nation that unbeknowingly allowed his ancestors to settle but the rest of us.

 

[Jonny]

Jack Nicholson 'Cuckoo's Nest' stuff, isn't it, and one that should be thrown back at anyone who likes to drone on about the superiority of the American Constitution (superior to what exactly, the accord between Theresa May and the DUP?). Checks and balances are nowhere near disposing of the Chief Lunatic before he inflicts vast, lasting harm not only on the nation that unbeknowingly allowed his ancestors to settle but the rest of us.

At least the USA has a written constitution... and I dare say that the first amendment is a good idea.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

That is an important difference, though it's worth pointing out that while the GOP has a majority in the Senate they don't have 60 seats so would need support from the Democrats regardless. That said, five Republicans voted against the bill (including Mitch McConnell!) so even if they did have 60 seats it still wouldn't have passed.

That's one aspect of the U.S. system that does make sense: preventing a narrow majority from enacting divisive policy, at least in theory...
However, when both major parties are bought by the same (or very similar) donors, and broadly buy into the same economic doctrine, it ends up resulting in situations like the one we see currently. Not to mention the wider problems of gun violence, income inequality and ghettoisation not being adressed.

 

[Geezertronic]

Trump's "****hole" comment has really been taken beyond the realms it should have in my opinion. I would suggest that plenty of Presidents before Trump have made disparaging remarks in the supposed privacy of a meeting just as I suggest plenty of Prime Ministers before and including May have done the same, just they have not been caught or reported on - Gordon Brown's "bigoted woman" comment springs to mind for which he was caught.

 

[najaB]

Trump's "****hole" comment has really been taken beyond the realms it should have in my opinion.

If it was an isolated comment I would agree, however it's just the latest in a string of comments/actions that have shown this President has some serious questions to answer about his views on race relations.

 

[ilkestonian]

At least the USA has a written constitution... and I dare say that the first amendment is a good idea.

Your post appears to suggest that this is an advantage.

Given it is over 230 years old, and has lead to deep splits over such things as gun control because of differing interpretations of the constitution, and has presumably led either directly or indirectly to the farcical shutdown situation, I think an unwritten constitution, which has served us well for many centuries might well be at least as good...